Aspen

Spacious blue skies and signature powder snow, Aspen/ Snowmass is the place to be. Not just for great snow and sunny skies, this region offers some of the most diverse of terrain in North America.

For skiers and boarders, just a single ticket to enjoy Snowmass, Aspen Highlands, Aspen Mountain, and Buttermilk is an incredible value. Riders of all types and levels of expertise enjoy the diverse terrain, numerous lifts, countless trails, big vertical drops, daily helpings of fresh snow, and the stunning Colorado blue skies. All of these things are positioned within a twelve mile area and are accessible by complimentary shuttles.

The main attraction of this area is Aspen Mountain, the namesake of the area. As the main part of the resort area, Aspen Mountain towers over the middle of the town of Aspen at an impressive 11,212 ft. World famous, this mountain began to attract massive attention in 1947 for being one of the best places in the West to go for skiing and relaxation. There is a great diversity of geographic features such as cliffs, glades, bumps, and valleys. There are also some local powder cat tour companies which allow you to have an amazing off-piste adventure.

Aspen Mountain is a classic destination which has been updated with modern adornments. They have recently added a new gondola which goes well with the spectacular Sundeck near the summit and après-ski at the base.

Aspen town has a rich history as being a mining town. The interesting culture and surrounding community make for a variety of different attractions for those who come to visit this place in Colorado. Close to the terminus of Roaring Fork Valley, Aspen is home to numerous bistros, cafes, and excellent lodging options for those visiting. What better place to stay than here, with the magnificent Rockies in the background.

Aspen Stats

Base Elevation:

7,945 ft

Summit Elevation:

11,212 ft

Vertical Drop:

3,267 ft

Skiable Area:

673 acres

Annual Snowfall:

300 in

Snowmaking:

31 %

Number of Lifts:

8

Uphill Lift Capacity:

10,755 per hour

Types of Lifts:

3 Double Chairs

1 High Speed Double

2 Quad Chair

1 High Speed Quad

1 Gondola

Number of Trails:

76

Longest Run:

15,840 ft

Aspen Reviews:

Roxana from Orlando, Fl. Jul 4, 2007

I moved to Aspen September 2006 to work there, and stayed till June 2007. This was the most interesting place I had ever lived at. The skiing was great. My family and I enjoyed all four mountains, and got to see the X-games. Every week of the winter there are activities. Sometimes races, or other celebrations, and fire works. You don’t need a car in Aspen. The buses are Hybrid and don’t smell, they come every 15 minutes. The only thing you have to watch outside of the resorts that have snowmelt, is when you walk in some area that are packed with snow, and you might slip. Lift lines throughout the season are very limited unless their is a powder day and then everyone packs up at the gondola in Ajax.

Ajax, I noticed it had more adults, than Snowmass or buttermilk. Highlands had more tourists and locals.

Snowmass and Buttermilk had rails and jumps for kids to practice, Ajax had moguls and steeps, Highlands had a variety of runs and a backbowl that I never got to, but my 11 year old went with his class, and enjoyed.

Good luck if you ever go to Aspen, it is definitely worth it, I definitely would like to visit again. (courtesy – SkiTown.com)

My Take: I haven’t skied at Aspen since 1973. Even then it was glorious. I was at Aspen a lot in 2008 & 09 for work. The town is incredible, they get tons of snow and you don’t even have to ski to know the mountains and especially Ajax is outrageous; it’s obvious, all you have to do is look up there and you start to jones. Aspen is not world famous for nothing. Just go, then come back and leave a comment at the blog or the Aspen video.